Ruling-pen



UNET@ STATES PATENT FFCE.

JOHN A. HAGERSTROM, 0F SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TECHNCALSUPPLY COMPANY, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CGRPORATION OF NEW J ERSEY.

RULINGr-PEN.

LSSS.

Application ledMay 1, 1918.

To all fro/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN A. Haennsrnoii, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Scranton, in the county of Lac-kawanna andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Ruling-Pens, of which the following is a specification.

This' invention relates to the manufacture of pens, and moreparticularly to ways and means of producing drafting instruments, suchas pens for Compasses, ruling-pens, straight-line pens, bow-pens, andthe like.

It has been the common prac-tice hitherto, when mamifactui-'ing pens forCompasses and similar instruments, to make the blades or legs thereoffrom a solid piece of metal, which was split by milling, in order to5produce the opposed members that are designed to Ahold the ink indrafting. The splitting naturally left a rough surface on each leg orblade, which had to be smoothed down and polished, that the flow of inkmight not be interfered with or interrupted. This, however, wasdifficult to accomplish, due to the very narrow sli-t produced -by thesplitting, which necessitated the employment of exceedingly thingrinding wheels, that is, the

.only kind that could be introduced between quently can be bent uponitself to evolve the required shape, thereby enabling the manufacturerto polish in advance that face ofthe blank which eventually will formthe'inside of the pen, by means of ordinary grin-dingwheels.

secondary object is to produce a. blank of the nature set forth that haswithin itself all the necessary elements to make up a complete pen,including a pair of narrow members wherewith to form the usualpen-points .or ink-container and blades or legs, as well as a broadportion to fashion a socket for a bolder, .and yet capable of beingfolded Specification-of Letters Patent.

Patented June, 191.9.

Seria1No.231,835.

centrally without lateral projections, so as to assume at once thegeneral contour of an ordinary pen such as draftsmen are accustomed touse.

Anadditional object is the provision of an improved type of pen-holderthat will immediately conform to the shape of the socket produced infolding the blank above men* tioned, and thus truly coact therewith insupplying an instrument of approved outline, while obviating muchgrinding or laborious interlitting of parts, and simplifying theattachment of the pen proper to its holder.

OtherA objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe specilication proceeds.

Succinctly described, the invention consists, first, in forming a blankof a single piece of sheet-metal composed of three integral sections, towit, a pair of tapered members separated by a. median slot extendinglongitudinally of the blank, anda substantially rectangular portion thatconstitutes a common base for the said members. An aperture of largerdiameter than the width of `the said slot is provided at the inner endof the latter, the same enabling the metal in the blank to contractinwardly at the bend thereof when folded axially along its longitudinalcenter, so that the doubling of the metal upon itself simply superposesthe tapered members relatively one to the other and produces a laterallyopen socket at their said base, the opposite sides .of which extendequidistantly from the central line of fold. rlhc blank is appropriatelyground or polished before folding, and otherwise manipulated to adaptits several parts tothe discharge of their respective functions whentransformed into a drawing-pen. Further, ,the invention consists inproviding a holder with an eccentrically located element adapted forinsertion between the opposite walls of the folded base port-ion of theblank, in such a manner that the combined width of the said element andof the said socket will be commensurate 'to the transverse dimensions ofthe'correlated parts of the drawingpen and its holder near the points ofjuncture.

The drawing hereto annexed illustrates a convenient embodiment of theinvention, and the application thereof to various drafting instrumentshereinafter specified.

Fig. II is a side view of the same;

Fig. III is a development of the blank for the pen proper;

Fig. IV is a transverse section on the line IV-IV of Fig. I, lookingtoward the point of the pen, in the direction indicated by the arrowsFig. V is a similar section on the line4 V-V of Fig. II, looking towardthe left;

Fig. VI is a top plan view, showing. a novel form of shank pertaining toa holder provided for one leg of a pair of Compasses or dividers, theposition of the pen relatively to the shank being indicated by dottedlines;

Fig. VII is a like view of a similar shank adapted to a holder for aruling-pen;

Fig. vVIII is a partial side view of a bowpen, also embodying theinvention; and

Fig. IX is an end view of the shank shown in connection with the pensrepresented in Figs. VI and VII.

The first step' in carrying out the invention is to prepare the blank,which may be easily obtained by striking or cutting from sheet-metal,and preferably consists of a single piece, as indicated by the numeral lin Fig. III. The' metal, it is understood, may vary in thicknessaccording to any particular description of drafting instrument to beproduced.

As shown in its development, Fig. III, the blank 1 is slitt-ed centrallylengthwise to provide therein a slot 2, by means of which it becomesbifurcated and divided into two equal parts, respectively designated bythe numerals 3 and 4, at one end. These parts are to constitute theblades or legs of the drawing-pen and may take up approximatelythree-fourths of the blank, the slot whereof is extended inwardly moreor less according to the purpose in view. The other end of the blank,which forms a base 5, common to the tvfo said parts 3 and 4, affords therequisite material for a socket-piece, hereinafter' described. At theinner extremity of the said slot 2, is also provided an aperture 6, ofconsiderably larger diameter than the width of the slot at that point,and designed to effect the folding of the blank, the folding takingplace on lines coinciding with the opposite sides of the said apertureor enlargement 6 at the inner end of the slot 2, and being parallel tothe opposed edges of the latter.

Taking the blank in its flat shape, as represented in the said Fig. III,it will be observed that no difficulty whatsoever is experienced ingrinding and polishing the same preparatorily to forming the blades orlegs ofthe drawing-pen, as compared with the method formerly followed infashioning a similar instrument. Ordinary grinding wheels and polishingtools can be employed, for it is no longer necessary to have recourse tonarrow grinders and polishers such as one was compelled to use whenforming the Yblades or legs of the pen by slitting a solid piece ofmetal, in accordance with the old practice. The inner' faces of the pensblades or legs can therefore be rendered as smooth as desired beforesuperposition of one over the other, so that there will be no impedimentto the flow of ink between the penpoints.

Besides affordingy ease and convenience in producing smooth surfaces onthe members of the pen, it will be noted that the blank further admitsof their being properly curved or rounded, both longitudinally andtransversely, as well as tapered and pointed, previously to folding, allas indicated in the drawing. Thus, for instance, the longitudinal curvesshown in Figs. II and VIII, the oppositely-directed transverse curves'appearing in Fig. IV, and the tapers and points exhibited in severalother views can all be produced while the blank still remains unfolded.The same is true of the holes usually provided for retaining andadjusting screws, as at 7, 8, 9 and 10. A material saving of labor andtime is thereby effected in the manufacture of the pen.

Vhen all the work that can be done on the blank has been finished, thelatter is folded centrally in the direction of its length so as to bringthe parts 3 and #l thereof one above the. other, as shown in Figs. I, IIand VIII, which parts then constitute the paired members forming theblades or legs of the drawing-pen. The blades or legs are provided, asusual, with a retaining or adjusting screw to engage the holes 9 and 10,or

with a set-screw '14, as indicated in dotted lines, ig. VIII. The metalof the blank1 it is understood, has sulicient elasticity to cause theblades or legs to spring apart as either of the adjusting screws isbeing retracted. Besides, the blades or legs in each pair are heldtogether at the end thereof remote from the pen-points,by the foldedbase portion 5 of the blank, previously referred to, which base uponbeing bent centrally upon itself becomes U-shaped in cross-section, asdetailed in Fig. V. From this U- shaped portion out, the blades or legsgradually increase in elasticity, so that the instrument possessing thesame has a great range of adjustability and quickly responds to thetouch of the draftsman using it.

The enlargement or aperture 6 at the inner end of the slot 2,hereinabove described,

nal center in the operation of folding, tothe extent that the middlesection of the laforesaid base 5, constituting the closed part? of theU-shaped end of the folded blank, docs not project outwardly as it wouldif the blank merely had the central slot 2, Without the said aperture orenlargement. Or in other Words the enlarged aperture permits the metalconstituting the connecting portion between the opposite sides or facesof the base 5 to produce a fold which will lie farther' inward than itwould if the said aperture Was not provided. As shown by the dotted linein Fig. I, indicating the thickness of the closed side of the part 5,this closed side is Well Within the customary Width of a drawing-pen andthe outer edge thereof practically coincides with the eX- ternal edge ofeither one of the blades or legs forwardly of the aperture 6, therebyproducing a pen corresponding in general outline to that Which draftsmenare Wont to use.

As before alluded to, the said base portion 5 of the blank is utilizedto form a socket, and thereby provide a ready means for attaching thedrawing-pen to any` suitable form of holder. The socket-piece, it willbe seen, consists of the U-shaped end of the folded blank, which beingopen at one side,

as Well as at the opposite extremities, is

Well adapted to receive an interconnecting shank or stem, as 17, fromsome holder intended to carry the pen. But, it will be noted that thethickness of the closed part of the said U-shaped base would tend topush the shank out through the open side, if the said shank Werecentrally positioned in the usual manner. This is avoided, in the)resent invention, by locating the shank 1 eceentrically, with relationto the holder to Which it appertains, as exemplified in Figs. VI, VIIand IX. This improved form of shank is capable of use with a holder ofany preferred make or construction. For eX- ample, as indicated in Fig.VI, the eccentrically positioned shank may be connected to an ordinaryholder for a pair of compasses; or as represented in Fig. VH, it may bejoined to the handle of a ruling-pen; or as illustrated in Fig. VIII, itmay form the support of a pen for a bow-compass; and so on With holdersfor other drafting instruments.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patentand claim is 1. A blank for an instrument of the character described,including parallel members of approximately equal magnitude adapted forsuperposition one above the other, a slot with an enlarged aperture atits inner end separating said members, and said slot havingsubstantially parallel edges for the major part of its length anddiverging outer ends, a base portion common to both of the membersbeyond said aperture.

2. A blank for an instrument of the character described, consisting of apair of relatively narrow members with an intermediate slot between thesame terminating in an en larged aperture, and said members havingsubstantially parallel inner portions With oppositely taperingextremities, a base section broader than the combined Width of saidmembers joining the latter beyond the enlarged terminal of said slot.

3. A blank for an instrument of the character described, including apair of members adapted to be superposed one above the other, saidmembers having inner portions substantially parallel at opposite edgesand outer portions tapering therefrom, and a base portion capable offolding` to form a socket for said members open at one side and closedon the opposite side.

4. A blank for an instrument of the character described, composed ofcontractible sheet-metal divided centrally for the greater part of itslength by a slot with an enlargement at the inner end thereof, and a'base portion foldable on lines coinciding with the opposite sides ofsaid enlargement and parallel with the edges of said slot.

5.. A blank for an instrument of the character described, including apair of parallel members divided by an intermediate slot having anenlargement at the inner end thereof, and a base portion foldableflat-Wise on opposite sides of said enlargement Whereby an open-sidedfiat socket is produced.

G. An instrument of the character' described, including a pair ofmembers superposed one above the other in substantial parallelism, and aU-shaped socket integrally formed with said members, combined With aholder having an eccentrically positioned shank arranged to enter saidsocket.

7. An instrument of the character described, including a pair ofsuperposed members, and a base common to said members affording a sockettherefor open at one side and closed at the other, combined With aholder provided with an eccentrically located shank adapted forinsertion in said socket through lateral engagement.

JOHN A. l-IAGERSTROM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

